Rebecca L. Schneider

Hydrochory and Regeneration in A Bald Cypress-Water Tupelo Swamp Forest

The importance of hydrochory, or seed dispersal by water, to the regeneration of Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) and Nyssa aquatica (water tupelo) was examined in a forested floodplain of the Savannah River in South Carolina. Seedfall and dispersal by water were quantified for 2 yr using floating seed traps. Water depth, surface velocity, and flow direction were monitored over the same period. Seedfall for bald cypress and water tupelo occurred primarily from early fall throughout the winter, when water levels were rising in the swamp. Extended buoyancy periods for newly released seeds and fruits (bald cypress: 42 + 37 d; water tupelo: 85 ? 36 d) prolonged dispersal for both species. Flowing water transported experimentally released seeds long distances, but in a uniform direction, and concentrated them nonrandomly against logs, trees, knees, and other emergent substrates. An examination of the soil seed banks in five microsite types supported the results of the seed transport study. Lowest woody seed densities occurred in the open areas, and highest seed densities occurred in sediments adjacent to emergent substrates such as logs. Additionally, elevated water levels of 1-2 m caused by short-term, high-discharge floods scoured seeds of Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora, Quercus spp., Liquidambar styraciflua, Pinus taeda, and other species from adjacent bot- tomland hardwood communities and transported them into the bald cypress-water tupelo forest. We conclude that elevated water levels, which occur during late fall when seeds are released, influence the distribution of bald cypress and water tupelo seeds and their avail- ability for recruitment. Short-term, deeper floods may also be important for seed transport among bottomland hardwood communities that are spatially separated or differ in species composition.

WOODY PLANT REGENERATION IN FOUR FLOODPLAIN FORESTS

Between 1987 and 1990, we estimated seedfall and recorded age, growth, and survival of 10 933 tree and vine seedlings growing in the understories of four bottom- land hardwood forests in South Carolina. The forests differed in flood frequency, soils, and vegetation structure but had a number of woody plant species in common. Several demographic processes were consistent for all four forests as well as for flood- plain forests described in other published studies. Smaller seeded species had larger numbers of seeds dispersed, germinants, and established seedlings. Seed size, however, was not clearly related to seedling survival. Published rankings of shade and flood tolerances were also unrelated to survival, at least during the first growing season after germination. Seedling survival rates were least during the first growing season and greater in subsequent years. Within a growing season, early germinants had greater survival. For some species, survival was negatively related to basal area of neighboring conspecific adult trees. Some aspects of the regeneration process were more site specific. Within species, seedfall densities relative to adult tree abundance differed across forests by an order of magnitude. First-year seedling mortality rates were significantly affected by site and site x species interactions. Mortality in subsequent years was also significantly affected by site. Although the role of flooding in site-specific mortality was not clear, small elevation changes within flooded sites were correlated with changes in germination and survival for some species.

Metabolism and organic carbon fluxes in the tidal freshwater Hudson River

We summarize rates of metabolism and major sources and sinks of organic carbon in the 148-k long, tidally influenced, freshwater Hudson River. The river is strongly heterotrophic, with respiration exceeding gross primary production (GPP). The P:R ration averages 0.57 (defined as the ratio of GPP to total ecosystem respiration) if only the aquatic portion of the ecosystem is considered and 0.70 if the emergent marshes are also included. Gross primary production (GPP) by photoplankton averages approximately 300 g C m−2 yr−1 and is an order of magnitude greater than that by submersed macrophytes. However, the river is deep, well mixed, and turbid, and phytoplankton spend a majority of their time in the dark. As a result, respiration by living phytoplankton is extremely high and net primary production (NPP) by phytoplankton is estimated to be only some 6% of GPP. NPP by phytoplankton and submersed macrophytes are roughly equal (approximately 20 g C m−2 yr−1 each) when averaged over the river. Emergent marshes are quite productive, but probably less than 16 g C m−2 yr−1 enters the aquatic portion of the ecosystem from these marshes. Heterotrophic respiration and secondary production in the river are driven primarily by allochthonous inputs of organic matter from terrestrial sources. Rates of metabolism vary along the river, with depth being a critical controlling factor. The P:R ratio for the aquatic portion of the ecosystem varies from 1 in the mid-river to 0.2 in the deeper waters. NPP is actually negative in the downstream waters where average depths are greater since phytoplankton respiration exceeds GPP there; the positive rates of NPP occurring upriver support a downstream advection of phytoplankton to the deeper waters where this C is largely respired away by the algae themselves. This autotrophic respiration contributes significantly to oxygen depletion in the deeper waters of the Hudson. The tidally influenced freshwater Hudson largely fits the patterns predicted by the river continuum model for larger rivers. However, we suggest that the continuum model needs to more clearly distinguish between GPP and NPP and should include the importance of autotrophic respiration by phytoplankton that are advected along a river. The organic carbon budget for the tidally influenced freshwater Hudson is balanced to within a few percent. Respiration (54%) and downstream advection into the saline estuary (41%) are the major losses of organic carbon from the ecosystem. Allochthonous inputs from nonpoint sources on land (61%) and GPP by phytoplankton (28%) are the major sources to the system. Agricultural erosion is the major source of allochthonous inputs. Since agricultural land use increased dramatically in the last century, and has fallen in this century, the carbon cycle of the tidally influenced freshwater Hudson River has probably changed markedly over time. Before human disturbance, the Hudson was probably a less heterotrophic system and may even have been autotrophic, with gross primary production exceeding ecosystem respiration.

Fifty-five years of soil development in restored freshwater depressional wetlands.

Wetland restoration is increasingly used as a strategy both to address historical wetland losses and to mitigate new wetland impacts. Research has examined the success of restored wetlands for avifaunal habitat, plant biodiversity, and plant cover; however, less is known about soil development in these systems. Soil processes are particularly important as soil organic matter (SOM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and other properties are directly linked to wetland functions such as water quality improvement. This research compared soil development processes and properties of 30 palustrine depressional wetlands of four different age classes (approximately 5, 14, 35, and 55 years since restoration) located in central New York (USA). Five natural wetlands were used as references. This chronosequence included wetlands 27 years older than previously conducted studies, making it the longest reported database available. Replicated soil cores from each site were analyzed for SOM, bulk density (D(b)), CEC, and concentrations of nutrients and other chemical constituents. Decomposition rate and aboveground plant and litter biomass were measured as key contributors to soil development. The results indicate that some soil properties critical for water quality functions take decades or centuries to reach natural reference levels. Of particular importance, in the top five centimeters of soil, SOM, D(b), and CEC achieved <50% of reference levels 55 years after restoration. Soil development processes in these depressional wetlands appear to be driven by autochthonous inputs and by internal processes such as litter decomposition and are not accelerated in the initial phase of development by allochthonous inputs as has been documented in coastal salt marshes and riverine floodplains. While monitoring generally focuses on the initial establishment phase of restored ecosystems, our findings indicate that the later autogenic phase strongly influences development trajectories for important wetland soil properties. Therefore, the role of different successional phases in determining long-term trajectories of ecosystem development should be considered in restoration design, research, and monitoring. This research highlights areas for improving the field of restoration through understanding of successional processes, increased efforts to jump-start soil development, longer-term monitoring programs, and greater focus on soil components of restored wetlands.

Temporal patterns in evapotranspiration from lysimeters with three common wetland plant species in the eastern United States

Abstract Using replicated, whole plant lysimeters, we quantified and compared the daily evapotranspiration (ET) rates and temporal ET patterns of three plant species common in wetlands of the northeastern US: weeping willow ( Salix babylonica L.), red maple ( Acer rubrum L.), and cattail ( Typha latifolia L.). For comparison and control, we simultaneously measured evaporation from bare soil and open water. S. babylonica and T. latifolia had significantly higher ET rates per unit leaf area than A. rubrum ( P =0.0002), and all plant species’ ET rates were greater than evaporation rates from bare soil and open water. Temporal patterns in ET over the study period were strongly correlated with relative humidity for all treatments except T. latifolia . Within the shorter time frame of a day, the plants exhibited a peak in ET from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A comparison with studies in the literature indicates that the examined wetland species exhibited higher rates of ET and a more continuous daily flux than do many terrestrial species.

The role of hydrologic regime in maintaining rare plant communities of New York's coastal plain pondshores

Abstract The influence of water level fluctuations on the regeneration of rare plant communities was examined for two pondshores in Long Island, New York. Regeneration from seeds and vegetative propagules in soil cores was the method used to quantify the species composition of the soil seed bank when subjected to different flooding regimes. Both ponds had seed banks with high diversity and density within a sandy shoreline zone. The seed banks consisted of three guilds of species requiring different flooding conditions for regeneration. An analysis of historical water level patterns at each pond suggests that the high diversity communities are maintained by a relatively well-defined hydroperiod. Short-term drawdowns lasting one to three years followed by extended high water periods apparently results in an alternation in species composition of the aboveground vegetation. The guild structure of the plant community helps maintain the spatial coexistence of the various species in the soil seed bank while the fluctuating hydrologic conditions result in a temporal separation of the plant species aboveground.

Riparian roots through time, space and disturbance

Riparian zones are landscape features adjacent to streams and are widely recognized as important in reducing erosion and filtering groundwater. Few studies directly investigate rooting dynamics of riparian areas, and little information exists concerning riparian root densities, biomass, depth profiles, changes through time, or vulnerability to disturbance. This study examined spatial and temporal patterns in root systems in streamsides influenced by season, hydrologic regime, vegetative composition, and ice storm disturbance in the eastern Adirondacks, New York. Sequential root cores and in-growth cores were collected from June 2000 through August 2001 in a riparian area with minimal ice storm damage adjacent to a third-order stream. Data were used to assess seasonal trends in root biomass and to provide a reference for spatial comparisons. The biomass and surface area of roots collected in the reference site cores were compared with cores collected at nine additional riparian sites differing in degree of canopy damage from the January 1998 ice storm. Average root biomass at the reference site was 1330 g/m2, comparable to or greater than values reported for terrestrial and other riparian systems. Root biomass varied seasonally with a maximum root biomass in August, 2000; this result was not repeated the following year after the water table inundated much of the rooting zone in mid-June. Root biomass was spatially variable on a range of scales. Although the maximum root surface area occurred in the upper 10xa0cm, root biomass peaked at 20–30xa0cm belowground, unlike observations from most other root studies where the maximum root biomass has been found in the top 10xa0cm. Areas severely damaged by the ice storm had significantly less root biomass and surface area than areas with low damage. This study demonstrates that root biomass in riparian areas is highly dynamic over time, space, and across disturbance sites. Our findings suggest that the spatial variability in root densities has direct implications for riparian vulnerability to erosion.

Roadside ditches as conduits of fecal indicator organisms and sediment: implications for water quality management.

Roadside ditches are ubiquitous, yet their role in water pollution conveyance has largely been ignored, especially for bacteria and sediment. The goal of this study was to determine if roadside ditches are conduits for fecal indicator organisms and sediment, and if land use, specifically manure amendment, affects the concentrations and loadings. Seven roadside ditches in central New York, adjacent to either manure amended fields or predominately forested land, were monitored for one year for Escherichia coli (E.xa0coli), total suspended solids (TSS) and flow. E.xa0coli concentrations in water samples following storms averaged 4616xa0MPN of E.xa0coli/100xa0mL. Concentrations reached as high as >241,960xa0MPN of E.xa0coli/100xa0mL and frequently exceeded New York State and US EPA recommendations. Concentrations peaked in both summers following manure spreading, with declining levels thereafter. However, viable organisms were detected throughout the year. The concentrations were also high in the forested sites, with possible sources including wildlife, pets, septic wastes and livestock. E.xa0coli concentrations and loadings were related to TSS concentrations and loadings, whether manure had been spread in the last 30 days and for concentrations only, antecedent rainfall. Viable E.xa0coli were also present in ditch sediment between storm events and were available for resuspension and transport. Total suspended solids concentrations averaged 0.51xa0g/L and reached as high as 52.2xa0g/L. Loads were similarly high, at an average of 631.6xa0kg/day. Both concentrations and loads tended to be associated with discharge and rainfall parameters. The cumulative pollutant contribution from the ditch network was estimated to be large enough to produce detectable and sometimes high concentrations in a receiving stream in a small, rural watershed. Roadside drainage networks need to be actively managed for water quality improvements, because they capture and rapidly shunt stormwater and associated contaminants to streams.

Comparative studies on physiological and biochemical adaptation of Taxodium distichum and Taxodium ascendens seedlings to different soil water regimes

Responses of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) and pondcypress (Taxodium ascendens) seedlings in leaf gas exchange and root metabolism to a wide range of hydrological regimes were studied. Four water treatments included control (C), mild drought (MD), wet soil (WS) and flooding (FL). Both species showed no significant change in net photosynthetic rate (Pn) in response to flooding in contrast to significant reduction in Pn under mild drought conditions. In baldcypress, Pn was also maintained at control level compared to significant increase of Pn in pondcypress when subjected to the wet soil treatment. In flooding, both species showed significant increase in contents of malate and shikimate in their lateral roots and further in total roots, as compared to control. However, different adaptation to flooding was demonstrated in their taproots in contents of malate and shikimate. Furthermore, baldcypress seedlings showed significant reductions in lateral and total root biomass, in contrast with no significant change in that of pondcypress seedlings in response to flooding. In wet soil, no significant effects were revealed in contents of malate and shikimate in roots (including different root portions) of baldcypress seedlings in contrast to significant increase of their contents in lateral roots of pondcypress seedlings. No significant effects on root biomass were detected in either baldcypress or pondcypress seedlings in response to wet soil. When subjected to mild drought, baldcypress seedlings displayed no significant change in contents of malate and shikimate in roots, whereas pondcypress seedlings exhibited significant reduction in content of shikimate in lateral roots and total roots. In addition, root biomass of baldcypress seedlings showed no significant change, while lateral and total root biomass of pondcypress seedlings demonstrated significant increase when mild drought was imposed. These findings indicate that baldcypress and pondcypress appear to be promising candidates for reforestation in the Three Gorges Reservoir region due to their characteristics of water-tolerance and mild drought endurance. However, pondcypress is more resilient than baldcypress to the continuum of water availability conditions expected in the Three Gorges Reservoir region.

Stimulating nitrate removal processes of restored wetlands.

The environmental and health effects caused by nitrate contamination of aquatic systems are a serious problem throughout the world. A strategy proposed to address nitrate pollution is the restoration of wetlands. However, although natural wetlands often remove nitrate via high rates of denitrification, wetlands restored for water quality functions often fall below expectations. This may be in part because key drivers for denitrification, in particular soil carbon, are slow to develop in restored wetlands. We added organic soil amendments that range along a gradient of carbon lability to four newly restored wetlands in western New York to investigate the effect of carbon additions on denitrification and other processes of the nitrogen cycle. Soil carbon increased by 12.67-63.30% with the use of soil amendments (p ≤ 0.0001). Soil nitrate, the carbon to nitrogen ratio, and microbial biomass nitrogen were the most significant predictors of denitrification potential. Denitrification potential, potential net nitrogen nitrification and mineralization, and soil nitrate and ammonium, were highest in topsoil-amended plots, with increases in denitrification potential of 161.27% over control plots. While amendment with topsoil more than doubled several key nitrogen cycling processes, more research is required to determine what type and level of amendment application are most effective for stimulating removal of exogenous nitrate and meeting functional goals within an acceptable time frame.